In the UK, leading oil industry figures warned that tens of thousands of jobs would go as a result of a windfall tax on North Sea oil producers announced in the Budget on Wednesday by Chancellor George Osborne.

There were also warnings of tough times for UK retailers as the volume of retail sales fell by more than expected in February and High Street clothing chain Next said challenging conditions lay ahead.

And Business Daily on BBC World Service looks at the cost of war - and by cost, we mean just that: how much the coalition is spending on its operation in Libya.